


Defenseless

by Chloe_3_Price



Category: Death Stranding (Video Games)
Genre: Angst, Developing Relationship, Established Relationship, F/M, Funny, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Original Character Death(s), Original Character(s), Past Relationship(s), Serious
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-15
Updated: 2020-01-01
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:00:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 16,698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21804109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chloe_3_Price/pseuds/Chloe_3_Price
Summary: Living on her own for so long, Mara must learn if she can actually trust someone like Higgs to survive.
Relationships: Higgs Monaghan/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 18
Kudos: 40





	1. Chapter 1

Defenseless   
Chapter One

Mara stood atop the cliff overlooking the valley, close to where her makeshift house was located. She had been living in an old building, she wasn't sure what it used to be, but it had protected her throughout the years she's been out here from both Timefall and the BTs that roamed.  
She wasn't sure how to feel about it anymore, now that both threats were gone, along with Amelie who had apparently caused it all from what rumors she overheard as she sneaked around the city edges. However, she did enjoy the feeling of regular rain on her skin, especially in the summer. The water smelled sweet and was refreshing in the sounds it made against the surface of the rocky cliff sides. She had stood in this very spot the first time it rained after it all, arms outstretched to her sides, face turned upwards to the sky, letting the rain wash away her troubles.   
She hadn't seen Sam Bridges since everything happened either, but she had a feeling he was still around. Poor guy got used and she felt sorry for him, and wished she could let him know, he had been the only person who had tried to reach out to her...well other than Higgs Monaghan, who also hasn't been seen since either. Word around the travelers is he was dead, but who knows really.  
Higgs was...interesting to her, to say the least. She had watched what he had done to Sam from a distance, always using her DOOMs to teleport away before anything bad happened. Sure, she liked Sam alright, but it wasn't her business to get involved in either.  
She was just trying to survive, however she could, and getting involved with someone like Higgs is not how one survives. However, she was impressed by his level of control of his DOOMs, but he, like her...like Sam...no longer have their DOOMs. She could still teleport, but doing it too much caused her to get physically sick. The longer the time went by, the less distance she could cover at one time.  
Being unfortunate enough to be born under the Cestus constellation, her level was higher, but still not as high as what Higgs shown. 

With that connection to the other side gone, so were the nightmares. She never had to see him again. Her brother, waiting for her on the beach. Trevor. Mara shivered even with the heat of the day around her. She knew he wasn't really at the beach waiting, he was long gone, but it still didn't lessen the chill it caused her.  
She was lost in her thoughts until movement caught her attention and she crouched down to blend in with the rocks. She gasped once the figure came closer to where she was hiding and became clearer. It couldn't be, she heard he was dead. It was Higgs.

*

Higgs awoke on his back, staring up at the sky, confused he lifted his head slightly to get a look around himself. He was no longer on the beach, and that's when the memories came flooding back. Amelie stood above him, giving him that god awful pity look, like she felt sorry for him, knowing good and well she was the reason he was there to begin with. She had bent down to him, touching his face, saying something along the lines of he didn't belong there. He couldn't fully understand her, it's like he had been floating in water when she was talking, and next thing he knew, he was here.  
Had he repatriated here? His guess was probably yes, he slowly sat up, how long had he been gone? How long had the world's been separated now? That ever looming feeling that haunted him before was gone, its weight lifted from his mind. No more DOOMs, for him that was a bittersweet problem.  
He stood, his legs shaky, weak from being at the beach for however long, and he began staggering around.   
"Wonder what happened with Sammy-boy." He pondered aloud to no one in particular. "Wonder how he's handlin' bein' screwed over." He felt he had to talk, even if it was just to himself, he didn't want to be alone with his thoughts. The cause of his memories to be exacerbated may be gone, but the memories still remain.  
Oh the things he's done, to himself, to Sam, to...Fragile. Higgs really did feel terrible for what he had done to Fragile, she had been the one person who he felt was really a friend. However, he had to do it to show the Homo Demens he wasn't weak so they would keep following him.  
He carried so much guilt with him now as he trekked across the valley floor, he wonders if he could ever express how sorry he really was for what he had done.  
Fragile being the person that she is, would probably eventually forgive him in time, but he felt he didn't deserve such mercy.   
His stomach growled and he sighed dramatically, wiping the sweat from his brow.  
"Hoo-wee, do I miss teleportin'." He complained aloud, as he bent at the waist and rested his hands on his knees, wishing he had a canteen of water or even a creek. He straightened when he heard the familiar sounds of teleporting behind him, he turned quickly to find a woman with snow white hair and wild sea foam green eyes glaring at him. Glaring for what reason, he wasn't sure, he's never seen her before in his life.  
No, wait, he has, his blue eyes looked her up and down before a playful smirk tugged his lips.  
"Hey there-" She chucked a canteen at him and vanished again. Higgs juggled the canteen, caught by surprise, and finally getting a good grip on it, he spun in circles looking for his savior.  
He remembered seeing her face several times, she had been watching him as he tried to help Amelie bring around the end of the world. Why she had been watching him, he had no clue, but it didn't detract from the fact that he found it interesting. He had tried talking to her once before back then, wanting to convince her to join the Homo Demens, but she just teleported away from him, never getting close to him again after that.  
He unscrewed the cap on the canteen and sniffed at the opening, who was to say she wasn't trying to poison him? He didn't know her well enough or know her motives to give him water.  
"Huh...smells like...water." He turned it up slightly, dipping a finger in and hesitantly tasted it. "Tastes like it too."  
"It is only water." He turned again to find Mara standing behind him, her arms crossed, a heavily annoyed look on her face. "If I wanted you dead, you would be." Her voice was nearly lost in the breeze, soft as a ghosts sigh, but Higgs gave her a lopsided smile, shifting his weight to his right leg.  
"Oh, 'sat right?" Mara rolled her eyes at his attempt to sound charming, she knew better, and she wouldn't be drawn in by such futility.  
"Just drink, I want my canteen back." She held out her hand, palm up, curling and uncurling her fingers several times impatiently.  
"Bossy one, aren't ya?" Higgs continued to ooze out his charm before turning up the canteen and drinking slowly. "Why'd ya teleport away from me then, if ya wanted this back?" He asked, waving the canteen around over her head and she growled, quickly jabbing him in the stomach. He coughed, doubling over and dropping the canteen which Mara swiftly caught in mid air.  
"Do not tease me. I am not a child." She warned as she bent down, tilting her head so she could see his face better. "And really, I am not Sam. Sam is a good person. I am not. I will not cower to you." Higgs' face was red from coughing, yet he still grinned at her, chuckling, which caused him to cough again.  
"I think I'm gonna like you." He promised, his drawl heavier in his strained tone. She scoffed, standing up straight again, replacing the canteen on her hip, before removing a second one, dropping it at his feet. While she was distracted, he returned her gesture by punching her in the ribs. She staggered slightly, snarling at him, shoving him away before holding at her ribs.  
"I thought you may need one, not that deserve to have one." She spat acidly, and Higgs picked up the metal container before straightening back up, smirking at her, shaking the canteen in his hand teasingly at her.  
"Not a good person, huh, darlin'?" She rolled her eyes, still snarling, before disappearing again.

*

Why had she gone back? Mara slammed the door to her home hard, she shouldn't have. Now she's spoken to him, which means future interactions will be easier. She has got to keep her distance from him, avoid him. Should be easy in this vast valley, certainly he's just passing through anyway. She can't trust him, she can't trust anyone. Except Sam...he was the only one who tried.  
She slammed her fists against the door, her legs shaky and weak from teleporting so much so quickly. She felt the bile rising and she rushed to her bathroom to wretch into the toilet. She panted, falling to her knees on the floor. She shouldn't have done that...not for him, yet she did. There had been something in her, something deep down that was yearning for connection, was she so desperate for it that she would allow herself to get close to him of all people?  
Although, he had seemed different than the first night he approached her, and probably for the same reasons she was calmer these days. She would let fate decide the answer for her. She will not actively seek him, but if they do cross paths again, maybe she could let herself get to know him like she had done Sam.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will the fates continue having Higgs and Mara meet up? The answer is yes

Defenseless   
Chapter 2   
Higgs looked down at the canteen, turning it this way and that, before unscrewing the cap and shaking it upside holding his palm out beneath it. He scoffed, looking around half annoyed, before his mouth twisted in a frown.  
"That little firecracker coulda put some water in it…" He shrugged, his mind quickly wondered, thinking about her still being able to teleport. Does that mean he could too? He pictured being a few feet away from his current spot and in a flash, he was there. "Thank fuck."   
He sighed out, knowing he probably couldn't go back to his old bunker, he decided to continue to search for some shelter, even if it were just for the night.   
He was glad to be off that beach, but damned if he wasn't aggravated that he had to stay away, couldn't take the chance of being seen, now that there were no concerns of a void out, people would probably have no qualms of killing someone like him.   
His thoughts went back to Mara, sighing as he made his way to the nearby cliffside, knowing about a small building that he was sure was vacant. Had she forgiven him for what he had tried to do to her? Is that why she was willing to help him? Willing may have been a stretch, after she jabbed him right below his sternum. He smirked at that fresh memory, he kind of liked the fact she wasn't scared of him anymore.  
Higgs grunted slightly, as he climbed, the rocks and moss rain slicked.  
"Man, fuck this." He teleported to the top of the cliff, but dropped to a knee, pain shooting through his body, his frame shaking slightly. "The hell was that?"  
"Why are you here?" A graveyard whisper that was trying its hardest to sound mean, a booted foot stomping down next to his hand. Mara.  
"I just couldn't get enough of ya tryin' to kick my ass, sweetheart." He stated playfully, looking up at her, the pain still shocking his system and she cocked her head at him, frowning.  
"My name is Mara, not sweetheart." She corrected him, squatting down, her head still tilted at him.   
"It's...ya know what, nevermind." She scoffed at him, clasping her hands together.  
"Are you lost? That is my house. Why are you here?" Higgs' blue eyes widened in a mix of shock and confusion.  
"You live here? Oh, honey, there's no electricity." Higgs looked in the distance to her meager living quarters. Her brows furrowed, following his gaze before she shrugged, looking back at him as if she didn't understand why that was such a big deal.  
"I sleep at night. No need for lights." The pain finally subsided and he straightened slightly and she leaned back from him, like a rabbit who was getting ready to bolt. "You are having withdrawals." She stated, matter of factly, standing back to her full height, before turning and walking away from him, the conversation over as far as she was concerned.  
"Mara...wait." The lithe woman stopped, but didn't turn to face him, waiting for him to continue. "I'm...sorry for what I did to ya." She scoffed bitterly, finally looking over her shoulder at him, a scowl on her face.  
"Sorry? That is all you have to say for yourself?" She turned back to him, muscles tensed to rush him. "Just because I refused to join your cause, you were going to kill me. In hope of causing a void out." She spat acidly, her voice straining as she tried to yell at him. He stood up, holding his arms outwards in a whoops manner.  
"Had to do what I had to do, sweetheart." She growled at him, her green eyes suddenly cold as ice.  
"You say you are sorry and then you turn around and say that?" In her fury she teleported right in front of him, standing on her tiptoes, still not being able to get in his face. "You tied me up, willing to kill me after I helped you. I saved your life once. You were wounded, left for dead and I helped you. And that was how you repaid me!" She jabbed her finger into his chest and he felt his own annoyance rising, not liking her poking him, eyes looking upward and taking in a deep calming breath, before locking eyes with her again. She could get her point across without the jabbing. He grabbed her hand, pulling it away from his chest.  
"I said I was sorry, darlin'. Look...I know what I did was beyond heinous, I don't deserve your forgiveness, but it's eatin' me up inside." She pursed her full lips together tightly, giving him a ridiculously skeptical look, trying to pull free from his grip.  
"Let me go, Higgs." She demanded hissing his name at him and he chuckled, leaning in close to her face against his better judgement since she was so feisty, she reared back as if she was going to head butt him, but he stopped her with his other hand. She growled and teleported out of his grasp and he stumbled forward slightly, before chuckling and shaking his head.  
"I do love when a woman plays hard to get!" He turned in a full circle, holding his arms out again, daring her to come back and strike him, but she never did return.

*

Mara fell onto all fours, panting heavily, she hated these damned withdrawals. She punched the ground with her fist over and over, tears falling from her eyes. At least he does remember her, she honestly wasn't sure he would after he changed to what he had become. She knew something was different because when she knew him before he turned so...bad, he couldn't do hardly any of what powers he was using then. He had always been kind of envious that Mara could teleport, and then suddenly he was able to control BTs? However, even with all that, she didn't believe he felt sorry for what he did. She flopped onto her back and looked to the sky, remembering back to when she had found him.   
~  
She had no clue what caused him the injury, all she knew was that she needed to suture him up, he was too close to her house to die there. She had survived too long avoiding all of this for him to screw it up. She helped him stand and took his to a nearby cave to shield them both just in case any Timefall came. She helped remove his gear and unzipped his jumpsuit, revealing a wound that wasn't necessarily bad, but if left alone he would bleed out or at least get a nasty infection that would kill him.  
He was weak from the blood loss he suffered already, and she removed her own coat and then overshirt, wadding it into a ball for him to bite down on.  
"Here, you will need this. This will hurt." She stated to him, shaking the shirt at him, and once he finally took it from her, she pulled out her medical kit, digging for the suture needle and medical thread.  
"D'ya know what you're doin', darlin'?"  
"Mara." She said monotonely, as she readied her needle, scooting on her knees towards him and he grabbed her hand.  
"I asked ya a question." She gave him the flat stare of a lizard, before lifting her shirt a little too high, revealing more to him than she should have. But living away from society for so much of her life, social grace was lost on her. Higgs' mouth opened slightly at the eye full he got, a slight blush dusting his cheeks, and he tried to hyper focus on the silvery scars that marked her stomach, which only made the fact he was trying not to stare at her chest more obvious, though it was unnoticed by Mara. She had been injured often fighting with MULEs for their supplies, by trial and error she figure out what she was doing. He raised his hand, pushing her arms down to cover her chest, before he continued to speak.  
"Ok, so ya know what you're doin'." He conceded, stuffing the shirt into his mouth.  
"Like I needed you to tell me that." She retorted in her no nonsense manner, dropping her shirt back in place and grabbing a cloth to wipe the blood away from the wound, and cleaning it with what little bit of rubbing alcohol she had left. Higgs hissed around his makeshift gag as she worked, before pulling it out   
"What are ya usin', a brillo pad?" There it was, the faintest smile, and she looked up at him and he got a good look at the left side of her face as her hair flopped out of her eye, a long vertical scar ran from her hair line cutting through her eyebrow down to her jaw.  
"Do not be baby. I have heard newborns whine less than you." He smirked at her, relaxing slightly, as she got ready to close his wound.  
"Was that a tease, honey?" Her eyes darted up to his but quickly back to her work, a small smile still playing on her lips.  
"I can joke." He stuffed her shirt back into his mouth and tried not to focus on the feeling of the needle pulling and tugging at his flesh as she threaded him up.  
~  
She had stayed with him in that cave, making sure he got his strength back, making sure infection didn't set up, finding him crytobiotes to help him heal faster. She thought he was going to be like Sam, Higgs was a porter too, she had been so stupid. Higgs had seemed nice at first, he had went out of his way a few times to see if she needed anything actively looking for her in the valleys, but then something in him changed. It just caused her to drift farther away from trusting anyone, and then when he tried to kill her, it really sealed the deal.   
Yet, here she was helping him once again, why couldn't she just stay away from him? Why did he have to be so damned charming? Why did it seem like fate had her tied to him no matter how they tried to sever that bond?  
"Hey darlin', are ya ok?" She growled as Higgs' face came into view as he bent over her to check on her.  
"Of course you are here." She sat up brushing her hair down and gathering it all over her left shoulder and he rested his hands on his knees, giving her a shit eating grin, pointing around the vast nothingness before landing on her house.  
"It's gettin' dark." He stated nonchalantly and she frowned and shrugged.  
"Sucks for you." She stood abruptly, staggering him backwards as he moved so she wouldn't knock him down.  
"Oh come on, firecracker." She turned on her heel, marching towards her home. "I need shelter. Just for the night?" She slowed to a stop, sighing heavily, turning to look at him, the wind blowing her hair from her face, the silvery scar fainter now.   
"Fine. But you sleep on the floor. And you leave as soon as the sun starts rising." He smiled at her, walking towards her.  
"Now that's what I'm talkin' about. I knew ya were still a good person." She rolled her eyes, giving him a gruff grunt. "Been a long time since I slept with a woman." She fought back the urge to laugh, she wasn't going to let him win, not that easily.  
"You are sleeping on the floor, like any dog." She jabbed back at him, her whispery voice holding something akin to humor in its tone, and his mouth went slack, a feigned offended noise slipping out.  
"Oh that's cold, honey. That's real cold." She pressed her lips together firmly, she wasn't going to smile, she knew he was trying his hardest to get her to laugh, he used to love making her laugh, he always said he liked how breathy it sounded.  
"You are tough. You will survive." She gathered a few extra blankets and pillows she had for the colder months and handed them to him. "This is all I have. I am sorry." He shrugged a shoulder, smirking at her, but she quickly looked away, not wanting to get drawn in more than she already was. She sighed, walking towards the room she uses as her bedroom. "There is food over there, water is in that container if you need it."  
Mara started to close the door, but she hesitated, finally turning to face Higgs. He lifted both his eyebrows, wondering why she was giving him that look, and she folded her arms over her chest.   
"You say that you are sorry. Then tell me, why me? Why did you knock me out? Tie me up? But then wait until I woke back up before trying to kill me?" Higgs hadn't been expecting these questions, and he hung his head slightly.   
"I chose ya because I knew ya still trusted me, at least a little." The confession caused a hurtful look to cross her face, something that she doesn't let happen often. "Amelie was behind it all." He tried to save this small moment of bonding, he did want to have her trust back, he had severed this relationship like he had done with Fragile, he wanted redemption. "I waited until ya woke up because I knew ya could leave." He put a lot of stress on the word, and she blinked, more confused than ever now. "I didn't want to hurt ya, ya have to believe me. That's why I gave you the opportunity to teleport away, luckily for me, a guy committed suicide, so I didn't have to pretend like I wanted to pursue you, I used that to cause a void out instead."   
Mare eyed him silently, holding his gaze, before eventually going into her room, and closing the door behind her.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mara's backstory is explored. 
> 
> TW: abuse, blood, murder, neglectful parents, mentions of alcohol abuse.

Defenseless   
Chapter 3

Mara couldn't stand her older brother Trevor, he was so mean to her and her little sister Julia, always torturing them in some way. Usually physically, she had a burn mark on her right ankle from Trevor and one of their father's cigars. What had her father done about it?   
"Oh, you'll be fine, he's just being a boy." That's all he had done, and her alcoholic mother just ignored it all. Her brother is how she even learned she could repatriate, and once he realized he could kill her multiple times, he did it just to feel joy.  
One day, when Mara was 11, she had finally had enough and she would learn that very same day she could teleport, Trevor was 15 and much stronger than her or Julia, who was just 9. Mara came home to find Trevor had strangled Julia to death, she gasped, Mara being the only sufferer of DOOMs between the siblings, she knew Julia was gone for good. Her noises alerted him to her presence. Terror shot through her veins like icy water when he looked over his shoulder at her, a crazy glint in his eyes.  
She was about to scream and run, but he pounced on to her quickly, intending to kill her too.  
She bucked him off of her, wanting to just scramble away, hoping this was all just a bad dream, when he pulled a knife from his pocket, grabbing her ankle and pulling her back to him. He straddled her, his corn silk blond hair falling into his face.  
"I've always wanted to carve your face like a Jack-o-lantern, you gonna let me, Mara?" Her heart felt like it was gonna beat out of her chest, as tears swam into her vision. Where were her parents right now? She began to scream as loudly as she could, wanting to alert someone to her imminent danger. Her legs were kicking, trying to get leverage to knock him off of her again, as the light glinted off the blade as he brought it down to her face   
Digging the point in at her hair line, he began digging the blade in, dragging it slowly down her face, barely missing her eye. She just kept screaming and wishing she was somewhere else.   
And as if by magic, poof, she was in her parent's room.   
She heard Trevor cursing down the hall in Julia's room, she wiped the blood from her face and into her snowy platinum hair, giving her a hellish look as she crawled on all fours to her father's bedside nightstand.   
Digging through the drawer, she found the object of her desire, her father's gun. She fumbled with it, trying to remember in her panicked state how to use it, her hands trembling as she heard Trevor begin searching through the rooms for her.  
"Where are you, you little bitch?!" He growled animalistic in his anger, Mara finally turned the safety off as Trevor burst through the door. Her throat was aching from screaming for so long, she tried to scream again, but nothing came out. She trained the gun on his head and pulled the trigger. His head snapped back, his body swaying for a second before he collapsed on the floor in a heap.   
"Mara?! Trevor?! Julia?!" It was her mother, she came into the room and screamed from the bloody mess that was all over the walls, door frame and out in the hallway. "What did you do to your sweet brother?!" Mara tried to speak, but only a squeaking sound was made, she looked down at her blood covered hands, which were still shaking and she dropped the gun on the floor.

Her parents blamed her for both Trevor's and Julia's death, threw her under the bus, saying that they didn't understand why she would want to hurt either of them, especially their sweet Trevor. Mara's larynx had been permanently damaged from all her screaming, leaving her with a graveyard whisper of a voice. She was deemed a menace to society and locked away in a psychiatric ward, where she stayed for the next 10 years.   
She never spoke to the psychiatrist, not until she got word that her parents had passed. Finally feeling safe, Mara showed the doctor every scar that Trevor left on her, told him everything that happened, that she is a repatriate and he killed her numerous times, finding it funny that she could come back, and finally that she found Trevor over her sister's body. What she had done was self defense.   
She wasn't sure if the doctor would believe her, but something in her confession held the conviction of the innocent and after ten years the psychiatrist stated she was not a threat to herself or others and was exonerated of her charges.  
Mara couldn't fit in with society, everything was so strange to her after so many years of being alone. She decided it would be best for her just to disappear, so she gathered what she could carry, and left the city forever.

-

Higgs was laying on Mara's old couch, staring up at the ceiling, not being able to sleep. He kept replaying in his head the look Mara had given him that night he tried to kill her, she had been trying to break free from her restraints, her whispery voice cursing him, and saying she wasn't going to teleport away until she got to kick his ass. It wasn't until Higgs took his mask off and revealed himself to her did she fall silent and still. Her seafoam green eyes held so much betrayal in them. That look caused him physical pain, he was begging her with his eyes to jump away. He knew she could, and he wanted her to.  
"Oh, Mara, sweet little loner." He purred to her, leaning down close to her face. "Bet ya wish ya didn't save me now, hm?" His voice was teasing, smooth as honey, but inside he hated to see her looking at him that way. Her eyes narrowed dangerously and she spit in his face, causing him to chuckle, he wiped her saliva off his cheek, before running his tongue along her scar. She turned her head and bit down on his tongue and he yelped, jerking away, and that's when she had teleported away from him.  
He had been relieved she finally left, sighing and spitting blood that pooled in his mouth on the ground.  
Higgs was brought from his thoughts when he heard Mara's soft whimpers coming from her room. He debated if he should check on her, after all the cold shoulder he completely deserved. However, once the sounds became more distressed, he quickly went to her room to find her body thrashing in her bed as if she was fighting someone off. He knew she was dreaming about Trevor again, he had been with her a few times before when she had the nightmare. Luckily with DOOMs gone, it did seem less intense.  
He moved quickly to her bedside, grabbing her shoulder, causing her to bolt upright, her hands balled into fists, punching wildly at the air. Higgs hopped back quickly, barely missing catching a right hook to his jaw.   
"Easy, honey, it's just me, ya were having a nightmare." Mara's eyes focused on Higgs' face, her breathing erratic, panic evident on her face. She touched her scar, looking at her fingers to make sure she wasn't bleeding and she let her body relax, and she scooted back to lean on her headboard, rubbing her face with her hands.  
"Sorry if I woke you." She offered softly, and Higgs waved a hand dismissively.  
"S'alright, I wasn't asleep yet." He assured her plopping beside her on the bed and she gave him a look of audacity, which he chuckled at. "Oh please darlin', like we've never shared a bed before." He teased, blush heated her cheeks and she's glad the only light in the room was from what little moonlight was outside, so hopefully he couldn't see it. She could barely make out his features in the soft silvery glow, so she was positive it was the same for him.  
"That was a long time ago." She teased back, even though that primal part of her brain was telling her to abort mission, she felt him slowly winning her back over and really, she both hated and loved it. She had missed him, even after he tried to kill her, it made her feel weak.   
That primal instinct went into overdrive when she felt him shifting in the bed, was he moving closer to her? No, his back was to her and she relaxed again, sighing in a mildly annoyed fashion, pushing on his back with a foot, and he chuckled, and she could see him lift his head and look over his shoulder at her.  
"Hey, I did not say you could lay here." But even her voice held no conviction to her own ears.  
"Sweetheart, we both know you're not kickin' me outta the bed. I'm gonna be right here, just in case ya have another one of those nightmares about ya brother." The comment took her off guard, as he laid his head back down on the pillow, it's almost as if he really is back to his old self, and a soft smile pulled at the corners of her lips, and she slid down under her covers, pulling them up to her chin and rolled over to where her back was facing his, letting out a long sigh.  
"Did ya miss me? Did ya cry when ya thought I was dead?" The questions were not malicious, but honest curiosity on his part, his voice was rather quiet, as if he wanted someone to have missed him if he was really dead. Mara stared at the wall, truth was, she had cried.   
She had gotten a visit from Sam, he knew she had been close to Higgs before everything went down, she lamented it to him on a few occasions.   
"I just wanted you to know...Higgs is dead." Sam had said in his normal gruff voice, but Mara could tell it hurt him to tell her, she had hung her head for a few beats, absorbing his words. Higgs was...dead? The words hit her like a truck and her head snapped back up to look at Sam, pain evident in her pale eyes, and he chewed on his bottom lip, unsure how she was going to act.  
"Did you kill him, Sam?" Her eyes were hard as stone as she observed his micro expressions before he finally shook his head.  
"Fragile did it." He confessed, Mara averted her eyes to the floor again, nodding after a few beats.  
"Ok." She said in her trademark no nonsense fashion, and Sam blinked in surprise, and after he said nothing, Mara looked back up at him.  
"Ok?" Sam didn't understand what she had seen in Higgs, granted she knew him before Amelie got to him, so he was definitely expecting a lot more of a reaction.  
"Thank you for telling me, Sam." He blinked a few more times before finally nodding goodbye to her and she slowly shut the door. That's when her armor had cracked, she sank down to the floor, sobbing softly into her hands. She wasn't sure how long she had cried for him, but she had.  
"I did. Yes." Her voice was as soft as a ghosts sigh when she confessed, sadness thick in her voice. At first, Higgs said nothing, he just felt a pressure in his chest that he couldn't explain. "Higgs?" Mara lifted her own head to look over her shoulder at him and he rolled over onto his back. She followed his action, rolling onto her back, staring up at the ceiling.  
"Just admit ya love me." He said in his teasing way, his words oozing with natural charm, and he finally got what he was after; Mara laughed. It wasn't long, but he got rewarded with her breathy giggle before she placed both of her hands on his shoulder and shoved him out of the bed and onto the floor.   
A loud 'oof' escaped him as he crashed onto the hard surface. Dazed, he looked back up towards the bed to see her looking down at him, and although he could barely see it, he knew she was smirking at him, a soft sniffling sound came from her, she quickly wiped the tears away.  
"You wish." They both shared a laugh, before she moved back to her side of the bed and Higgs crawled back into it.  
"Don't hesitate to sleep a little closer to me, I won't bite." Mara scoffed, covering back up again, her back to him once more.  
"I will." She stated, matter-of-factly, although humor was still laced in the words. Higgs laughed as he settled under the covers and finally fell asleep.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mara and Higgs grow a little closer, remembering how close they used to be.

Defenseless  
Chapter 4

Mara awoke to find herself still facing the wall, and she yawned moving to stretch when she felt a heaviness across her midsection. She froze, lifting her head to look down to find Higgs arm draped on her, her entire body went rigid as her green eyes followed his arm around, his body not flush against her back but he was however close enough for her to feel the body heat radiating from him.  
In a panic, she grabbed his wrist, flinging his arm off of her, which startled him awake. He bolted upright, ready to fight, grunting loudly. Once he realized no one was there, he looked down at Mara, who was glaring at him, which caused Higgs to blink in a confused manner.  
"What's with the glare, sweetheart?" She huffed out, annoyed, as she sat up, flinging the covers off of herself and placed her feet on the floor   
"You had your arm around me." She pointed out flatly and he held his hands up in a mocking placating manner.  
"'Scuse me, princess." He sassed, before stretching and yawning loudly, Mara rolled her eyes, getting up from the bed.  
"I have to go out for supplies today." She explained to him and he smirked at her, leaning back on his palms, and she looked at him, getting in a defensive stance over his look, quirking her eyebrows at him. "What?"  
"Why ya tellin' me for? I'm supposed to be leavin', remember?" Mara's facial expression went blank. She had told him to leave at first light, hadn't she?   
She felt blush creeping up her neck to her cheeks, and she began to stammer, which caused the blush to deepen. It made the pale scar on her face stand out even more, and Higgs removed the covers and stood up as well, sauntering over to her, bending slightly at his waist to be at eye level with her.  
"Ya wanna keep me around? Might be able to persuade me." She pulled back from him, but didn't retreat fully, which caused Higgs to give her and even more playful smirk, before straightening back up. "I do need a place to stay, after all." He continued in an almost sing-song manner, and she finally was able to regain some composure, and she folded her arms over her chest.  
"You sure you are not just trying to confess your love to me?" Higgs' eyes widened in surprise, she had turned his own words against him, before he tossed his head back and laughed. Once his mirth was over, he grinned at Mara, stepping closer to her, reaching his hand out to tug on his shoulder length white hair playfully.  
"Honey, I'm not sure ya could handle me." Mara was frozen in her spot, other than when she helped him with his wound, they've never really touched each other. Not even when they had shared a sleeping area previously in the cave when he was getting better. His arm around her this morning really surprised her, but she had been more caught off guard by the fact that she really didn't dislike it, and that's what had bothered her the most. She had never felt safe with anyone before him in that cave.  
Mara hasn't really let anyone in after she left the city, just Higgs and Sam, and with Sam and his aphenphosmphobia she never had to worry about touching him, because once that first touch is done, it becomes too easy to continue touching more.   
Mara's eyes studied Higgs' blue eyes for a long moment before she absently lifted her hand to touch his face, her fingertips ghosting over the skin of his cheek. She felt his body tense, but quickly relaxed into her touch, his eyes fluttering closed, pressing his cheek into her warm hand more as she cupped his face.   
Reality set back in, and her eyes widened, a small gasp leaving her lips as she pulled her hands away, causing Higgs to fall forward slightly. His eyes opened to look into hers, blush heating her cheeks once again.  
"Sorry." She whispered, stepping back from him, his heart was racing from the gentle contact, not realizing how much he wanted someone to touch him in a positive way.   
"Mara-" She waved her hand quickly, tugging her hair from his grasp and going back to gathering things for her journey. He looked at her profile as she worked, stuffing easy to eat foods into her pack, along with Monster energy drinks, and her medipak. "Ok, at least lemme help ya." She stopped what she was doing and looked at him, skeptically, chewing her bottom lip, however she finally shrugged. Grabbing her polearm she made herself out of different scraps she stole from MULEs, a bayonet adhered to one end, she handed it to him, before picking up a second one.  
"It is not much, but it gets the job done." He smiled at her, nodding approval. She tossed him a second pack to him, pointing at what meager supplies she had left with her weapon.  
"How's about we look for solar panels when we get to the MULEs?" She gave him a stern look before shaking her head.  
"I only take what I need." She explained, which caused Higgs to scoff, raising his eyebrows at her, his eyes holding a glint of humor in them.  
"Sweetheart, ya got me now too, we're gonna need more. 'Sides, I love listenin' to music. Can't do that without the sparks." Mara made a derisive snort, rolling her eyes at the thought of music and Higgs' jaw drops. "Don't tell me ya hate music, darlin'."   
"I do not care for it." She responded, giving him a flat stare and he looked at her as if she just admitted to not liking to breath air.   
Mara didn't like music because it reminded her of her little sister. On particularly bad days, she would sing her sister to sleep trying to calm her down since her parents wouldn't help them in anyway.   
Mara swallowed down the emotions that were threatening to rise, going into the next room to fill the canteens with water, Higgs following closely behind.  
"Hey, hey, hey. If I help ya do this, will ya do something for me in return?" She sighed, not used to taking so long to get ready for a supply run. She turned to him, shrugging her shoulders, her hands flipping out to her sides before placing a fist on her hip, waiting very impatiently.  
"What is it you want, Higgs?" He smirked at her, his hands up in an honest placating gesture this time.  
"I have a few things in my bunker that I'd like to have. I can't just go waltzin' up to it, just in case someone's watchin'. Would ya get 'em for me?" She sighed exasperatedly, removing her fist from her hip to rub her forehead.  
"Sure, of course. If it will make you hurry up. We are losing daylight already." She agreed, while shoving a canteen against his chest gently, he smirked at her, purposefully placing his hand on hers that was holding the container.   
"Thanks, sweetheart." She growled lowly, narrowing her eyes dangerously at him, but they both knew it was a facade by now.  
"Mara." She finally smiled at him, absentmindedly rubbing her thumb against the back of his finger. The first touch making it easier to touch more.

~

Half a day of trudging across the valley floor was making Higgs a little grumpy. He began sounding something akin to a petulant child with the loud obnoxious sighing he was emitting every few steps.  
"Will you stop that." Mara scolded, stopping and turning on her heel to face him and he frowned deeply.  
"Can't we jump there? I mean, we still can after all." Mara shook her head, adjusting the strap on her pack over her chest.  
"I try to only use it for emergencies." She explained. "The pain you felt? It will get worse before it gets better." He sighed again and she shot him a look and he laughed.  
"Sorry darlin'," he said with a cheeky grin, as she turned and began walking again. He jogged to catch up with her before falling in step with her. "How'd ya figure out it was withdrawals?" She gave him a side eyed glance, before shrugging her shoulders.   
"Because I am not stupid." She stated, rather bluntly, but she meant no harm in her statement, which Higgs learned quickly in the time they spent together before. "When Sam came to tell me you were dead, before he did, he explained to me about Amelie. About how she cut off her beach, thus ending DOOMs for the sufferers. Followed by only being able to jump shorter distances, plus pain. It was not hard to realize." Higgs mulled over her response, remembering the pain yesterday shooting down his spine, almost immobilizing him and he looked back to her.  
"How's it affect ya?" She was silent for so long while they walked, Higgs assumed she wasn't going to tell him, but she finally sighed.  
"If I do it too much or too close together, I puke. I did after bringing the canteen to you." Higgs gawked at her for several beats, before smiling deviously at her, which she scoffed and rolled her green eyes over.  
"Ya took the chance on makin' yourself sick for me, honey? That's sweet." Mara grunted, shoving him with her shoulder playfully.  
"Do not look too much into it, Anubis." She emphasized the nickname teasingly, not even truly realizing she had done it. Higgs placed his hand on her shoulder, stopping them both in their tracks and she looked at his hand, a feeling shooting through her soul from the contact before she looked up to see his face twisted with surprised humor.  
"Did ya just give me a nickname?" She laughed, another short breathy one, before shrugging his hand off her shoulder.   
"You call me so many, even though I correct you so often, I figured maybe I should join in." She gave him a sweet smile before she started walking again. "If you do not quit whining though, I will call you cry baby." Higgs jogged again to catch up with her, shoulder checking her gently as to not make her lose her balance, giving her a feigned look of innocence accused.  
"I haven't been whinin' that badly, darlin'." Mara scoffed, feeling herself relaxing more and more around him with every passing quip they shared, as if no time had passed at all, she even found herself slowly forgiving him for trying to kill her, and then the thought made her giggle.   
"For one, you have whined so much in the last hour, I was beginning to think I should find a bottle and for two, you know, your plan would not have worked anyway." Higgs blinked in confusion, feeling like he missed part of the conversation somewhere.  
"Pardon? What plan?" Mara looked at him as if he said something in another language and then she smacked her forehead, realizing she rambled her thoughts out.  
"Sorry, sometimes I think better than I talk. When you were going to kill me. It wouldn't have worked. I can repatriate." He laughed, shaking his head as he did so.  
"'Course ya can repatriate." He bumped her shoulder playfully, and she laughed with him bumping him back, their mirth slowly falling into silence. "Sorry for that again, Mara."  
"Why did you let Amelie control you like that?" Higgs knew the question was coming. At the time, he didn't realize Amelie was just using him because she could see he would be easy to manipulate. He honestly thought she felt the was on the same level as her and wanted him to help her usher in the ending of it all.   
"I dunno what to tell ya, sweetness." He shrugged, looking ahead of them both, seeing the MULEs camp coming into view. "Everyone had given up on me and then there came Amelie, needin' my help, like I was somebody." In his thoughts Higgs didn't realize Mara had stopped walking and was staring at him, flabbergasted. Once he realized she wasn't at his side anymore, he turned to her, confused.  
"Everyone...gave up on you?" She almost hissed at him, her anger causing her nostrils to flare wildly, and she took a menacing step towards him. "I never fucking gave up on you, Higgs." She admitted to him, placing her hand on her chest to add extra emphasis to her point. "I had always been there for you. I never judged you. You stopped coming to me." Higgs hung his head, he couldn't dispute her words, he had slowly stopped coming to her, but it wasn't anything she had done, as cliched as it sounds, it was him. He was getting too attached to her and it scared him.  
"I didn't mean it that way, Mara." He conceded, walking back to her, but she stepped back. He stopped, whatever ground he had covered with her was slowly crumbling beneath his feet and he didn't know what to do to stop it. His eyes were pleading, he finally was getting her back and he just wanted her to stay.  
"Higgs...I will help you get some of your things, but maybe it would be best for us to go separate ways after that." She stated, her tone flat once again, feeling the hurt deeply just as she was letting herself open up again, here she was having to close back up. The pain searing her chest felt so real as if he'd physically hurt here just then.  
"Mara, no, it was me back then. Ya had nothin' to do with me feelin' that way." She walked passed him, and he turned hurrying to catch up with her, he stepped out in front of her, cupping her face gently in his hands, and it shocked her into stillness. "I was startin' to feel things for ya, firecracker. It...scared me, honestly." She stared into his eyes as he was talking to her. "I knew someone like ya couldn't ever feel anything for me." She rolled her eyes, which she does often with him it seems, before she grasped his wrist with her free hand gently, sighing.  
"Higgs…" Her ghostly voice was nearly lost in the wind. "Do you not realize that I was looking forward to you finding me each time? If I did not want you to find me, you would not have." Her words pulled Higgs up short, he had never thought of it that way, he did find her fairly easily considering the vast valley floor he had to cross to find where she lived at the time.   
"Can we ever get back to how close we were back then?" She gave him a small smile, before shrugging her shoulders.  
"I would like to think we could. However, you need to stop being an asshole first." Her smile turned into a smirk at his shocked look before he snorted out a laugh, finally releasing her face, relief washing over him that he salvaged the moment before he let her get away again. "Now, can we get to the supplies before I die of old age?" She quipped, moving to walk passed him again, and he laughed.  
"By all means, darlin'."


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After raiding what supplies they need, trouble arises but both Mara and Higgs realize how they feel about each other, and it scares them both.

Defenseless   
Chapter 5

"Ok, Higgs, I usually just sneak in through here." Mara pointed out as she pulled him down into a crouching position, pointing to a hole in the fencing that was nearly unnoticeable, her voice even softer, as if she needed to talk quieter. Her mouth was very close to his ear as she spoke to him, causing goosebumps to pepper his skin, feeling her warm breathing fanning over the shell of his ear. "Higgs, are you listening to me?" He had not been, he had been too focused on the feeling of her proximity to him and he chuckled, trying to play that fact off.  
"'Course I was, what else would I have been doin'? Gotta put a little more faith in me, sweetheart." She sat back on her heels, folding her arms over her knees, giving him a very skeptical look, clucking her tongue at him.  
"What did I say then, smart shit?" She countered and Higgs swallowed hard, his eyes going blank as he tried his hardest to think back on what she had said to him, coming up with nothing. "Yeah, that is what I thought." She finally said, bumping his shoulder with her elbow. "How are we going to work as a team if you cannot listen to me?" Higgs scoffed, looking her in the eyes, the glint in them catching her off guard.  
"How can I focus when you're that close to me?" He asked, moving his face closer to hers, their breathing mixing together. It was a flirt, he knew it was, it took everything in him to muster up the courage for possible rejection from her. He honestly didn't know how she really felt about him. Mara was so hard to read a lot of the times, and he cut her slack on that having lived away from everyone for the majority of her life.  
"It is not hard, just listen." She stated, matter-of-factly, completely oblivious to what his statement really meant, and Higgs pulled back, hanging his head, laughing softly.  
"Yeah, guess that is pretty easy, huh?" Mara blinked at him, confused about his sudden odd behavior, tilting her head. She has read so many books that she scavenged from different places, she doesn't understand the feelings behind some of the stories she's read. She understands the words, but never having experienced any kind of real love, she's completely lost about it. She's still just that little eleven year old girl just wanting to feel love from someone.  
"Like I said before, I want you to look for those solar panels, I will gather food and medical supplies." Higgs nodded at her, finally looking at her again, and she smiled tightly at him, still not understanding why he's looking at her that way. "Are you going to be sick?" Higgs blinked in surprise, before snorting out a laugh, giving her an odd look as he did.  
"No, why do ya ask that?" She sighed, so very confused, scratching the back of her head.  
"You keep giving me this weird look, is all." She offered, trying to replicate his look, and it came off as a tease, which is what she was hoping for. The tiniest blush painted across his nose and cheeks, and he cleared his throat, quickly looking at the fence, shaking his head.  
"Nah, I'm not. You're just imaginin' thangs." He waved his hand dismissively, moving towards the fence, still crouching, holding back the clipped metal for Mara to slip through, following behind her.   
"Higgs…" She called softy, and he turned to face her, and she reached out, grasping his hand tightly, part of her not wanting to separate from him. "Be safe." Higgs looked down at their clasped hands, and he finally gave her a reassuring squeeze.  
"Ya be safe too, Mara."  
~

Mara took her normal routes through the warehouse the MULE's had holed up in, she couldn't believe how many different kinds of packages they had here. This particular group had to have been some of the first MULE's, she's been stealing from them for years and they either have so much stuff they haven't noticed, or they know and just don't bother her. She's honestly not sure which is it, and she doesn't really care either way, as long as she can survive.  
As she dug through the various piles, taking different cans of food, and kinds of small weapons like knives, along with more crafting supplies, her mind kept going back to Higgs. He doesn't know this building as well as she does and she's worried he'll get them caught. At least, that's what she kept telling herself, because the alternative frightened her.   
What if she was getting close to him again? In the back of her mind the thought that kept trying to break through was 'what if this is just another trick?' She shook her head, clearing it, she really needed to focus, she doesn't need to slip up and be the one that gets caught after all these years.  
Which brings up her other problem with getting close to him. It may cause her to hesitate instead of just reacting like she always has to keep herself safe.  
She sighed to herself, as she raided the medical supply pile for rubbing alcohol, peroxide, bandages, whatever she could fit into her pack, unbeknownst to her that she was being watched.  
Mara quickly made her way back to the fence line, meeting Higgs, who had two solar panels strapped to his back, and Mara looked at him cautiously.   
"Do you need help with that?" Higgs laughed, as he held back the fencing, motioning with his head for her to go through, and once on the other side, she helped him get through the opening.   
"Honey, please. I used to be a porter, remember?" Mara gave him a small smirk and a shrug of one shoulder as she removed things from her pack and loaded it into his, periodically looking up into his eyes, and he was giving her a soft smile.  
"What is it you are wanting from your bunker?" He absently reached out and tucked some of her hair behind her ear and she froze, looking up at him like a deer caught in the headlights.  
"My books, my stereo and laptop." He wasn't even aware he had touched her until she turned her head to where his hand was resting on her shoulder, her heart beating erratically. He removed his hand quickly, all the memories of them from before was overwhelming him and he's coming to realize that he loves her, and he wants to stay with her.  
"Higgs...what is wrong?" She stepped back after clearing out her pack, looking at him strangely. "Are you sure you are feeling well?" He smirked, shaking his head ruefully, running his thumb over his bottom lip, before looking at her again.  
"It's nothin', darlin'. Be careful gettin' my stuff ok, I want ya comin' back to me." She gave him a prideful tilt to her head, squaring her shoulders   
"Of course I will come back. I always do."

Higgs turned, walking backwards, watching Mara's retreating form, smiling to himself, she moved like a hunting cat on the prowl. He stopped walking however, his smile fading to a look of concern when he noticed three figures following after her and he cursed under his breath. They were coming from where the MULEs camp was.  
He had to get to them before they got to her. Making sure everything was strapped down tight, he began to run towards them, heart pounding as he watched them getting closer and closer to her.   
He felt fear gripping him, he knew in the back of his mind she could watch out for herself, she's done as much for the better half of her life out here, yet the thought of something happening to her...he just couldn't take it. Mara was the last person to have ever been kind to him, and how had he repaid that? Knocking her out? Kidnapping her? Trying to use her to cause a void out? Which now he knows wouldn't have worked anyway, but that was beside the point.   
All he was worried about now was catching up to those MULEs.

Mara moved along the valley floor, determined to get as close as she could to the radius of Higgs' bunker before jumping to it, hopefully saving herself from feeling to sickly because of it.  
Her mind kept pulling her back to the look Higgs had been giving her at the MULEs encampment. How he had leaned into her, his breath warming her face, how his eyes kept quickly looking down at her lips. The looks were so quick, he probably hadn't even realized he had done it.  
It finally dawned on her, smacking her in the face like the hand of God, and she gasped loudly. She had read about this in her books...Higgs loves her. Her pace actually picked up, her heart beat hastening at the realization. Love is something she was wanting, but now that it's fallen into her lap, she's...terrified.  
She doesn't know how to love, what is she's bad at it? Panic was about to cause her to stop, when she heard a crunching noise behind her.  
She gripped her pole arm tightly, spinning around, her weapon parallel to the ground, swing it swiftly, the MULE closest to her, jumped backwards, narrowly missing having his stomach sliced opened.  
She crouched down quickly, swiping her leg out, catching his ankles, knocking him to the ground, she straightened back up and drove the bayonet through his heart with practiced ease. He sputtered, coughed and cursed her to hell, before finally letting out his death rattle. Mara breathed a sigh of relief that there had only been one.  
She looked around again just to be sure, unknowing that Higgs was taking care of the other two for her. She frowned, deciding now was the best time to jump to Higgs bunker.

~

Higgs caught up with the MULEs the first one screaming that he'd go take care of the bitch. The name causing Higgs to see red, no one was going to call Mara that on his watch.  
He wasn't very practiced with a polearm, but he wasn't going to lay down and just take this either, swinging it wildly, and jabbing it towards the two MULEs who had stayed behind to deal with him.  
"We're tired of that bitch taking from us. The others said to leave her be, but we can't just keep sitting by and letting her take our things!" The first one grunted as he dodged Higgs' attacks.  
"Ya've got more than enough!" Higgs shouted, striking the second one in the face with the butt of his weapon, causing his head to rock back and blood sprayed into the air. The guy shook his head, spitting blood onto the ground, dazed by the hit.  
"You were what really drew the line for us, we definitely weren't going to let you get away." The contempt held in his voice was justified but it still settled Higgs nonetheless, and he growled, jabbing towards the first MULE again, this time making contact, and Higgs drive the weapon in deeper, pushing him backwards into a rock, blood sputtered from the man's mouth, splattering Higgs' face with the sticky spray.  
His guard was down, dealing with the first guy, letting the second guy attack from behind, stabbing Higgs in the side.  
Higgs yelped out in pain, reaching behind him trying to get the knife out of his flesh, hoping that nothing important had been impaled. Finally getting his hand on the hilt, he pulled it out, spun quickly and drove the blade into the second MULEs throat, and he watched him fall to the ground, drowning in his own blood.  
Higgs, now able to relax, touched his wound, bringing his hand around to see it coated with blood, and he bent at his waist, placing his hands on his knees, letting out a slow, shaking breath.   
"Well, shit…" He whispered out on a sigh. It didn't feel like anything serious and been injured internally, but how could he be sure? He couldn't worry about himself right now, he had to get to Mara and make sure she was ok.

Mara appeared in front of Higgs' bunker, staggering and dropping to a knee, pain contracting all her muscles. She hadn't been close enough and now she's paying the price.   
After several minutes of her regaining composure, she stood up on wobbly legs and started walking into Higgs' place, seeing several little Egyptian knickknacks strewn about on his desk. She picked up a few of them, smiling to herself, she's never got to actually see inside his living quarters before.  
Sure, she had been here on a few occasions, but Higgs apparently wanted to keep her away from all his doomsday preparations, not that she upset about that. Yeah, she lived a lonely life, but she didn't want to die. She's tried to hard to survive all these years to just give up.  
Turning in a slow circle, taking in everything his bunker had to offer, she covered her mouth in shock. Her level of DOOMs had been higher than Sam's and Higgs', until Amelie shared her powers with Higgs anyway. How high had his level become to make him so...unstable?   
He held so much hate towards Sam, she concluded, touching the wall filled with his pictures and hateful words.  
"Oh...Higgs…" She cooed in her graveyard whisper.  
"Mara?" She startled, letting out a soft scream, turning to face the holder of the voice. "Why are you here?" It was Sam, and he was holding a small child's hand, causing Mara to look at her in surprise before looking back up to Sam.  
"Why are you here?" She asked, a little too defensively, her body matching her voice as she looked at him, more scared than angry.  
"I come out here periodically to make sure Higgs is still gone." So Higgs had been smart to be cautious of coming here himself, her green eyes went back to the small girl beside Sam. "I've actually been lookin for you too, Mara." Sam's voice was always so gruff, like he was always done with everything and just wanted a nap, and she gave him a quizzical look.  
"Me? Why have been looking for me?" She inquired, pointing to herself in her confusion.  
"This is Louise. I wanted you to meet her officially." Mara blinked, looking between them.  
"Louise...Lou? Your BB?" Sam gave her a quick affirming nod of his head and Mara relaxed, smiling at the small child, kneeling down before her, and the girl slinked behind Sam slightly, hiding from Mara.  
"My name is Mara, it is a pleasure to meet you, Louise." Mara greeted, and the girl blinked at her, before stepping out into view again, holding out her hand for Mara to shake, which she did.  
"Guess she is not taking after you with your aphenphosmphobia?" Mara teased Sam, as she stood back to her full height, and Sam was about to respond, when the sound of someone teleporting sounded behind Mara.  
She turned quickly, in time to catch Higgs as he fell forward. She staggered backwards, but kept them both upright.   
"Higgs?!" Sam and Mara said in unison but in vastly different tones. Mara gently eased Higgs down to the floor, sitting on her knees and laying his head on her lap, her eyes taking in on the blood everywhere. "Higgs!" Her whispery voice was panicked, as she looked at her blood covered hands, before trying to clean off his face. She untied the solar panels from his back, so she could get a better look at his side.  
"Hey, darlin'." His voice was weak and Mara felt her eyes stinging with the threat of tears.  
"Higgs, what the fuck?" Mara held up her hand, giving Sam a very stern look, hunching her body over Higgs to protect him.  
"Sam...please...just go for now, please?" Sam looked at her, chewing on his lower lip, before he took Louise's hand again, and he hurriedly ushered her from the area.  
"We'll talk about this later, Mara." Sam promises, which she waves a bloody hand at, as she begins to dig through the pack for the medical supplies.  
"Higgs, what happened? She asked, struggling to unwrap bandages and digging through her own medikit for her needle and surgical thread, feeling this all too familiar feeling of deja vu.  
"The MULEs were after ya." He explained and she scoffed at him.  
"I can take care of myself. You are hurt now, stupid." She bit harshly, not meaning for it to sound as mean as it had come out, lifting his shirt easily, and he chuckled.  
"Thank ya would have been nice." Mara's green eyes met his blue ones, and he could see how scared she was. "Hey, hey, I'll be alright." She frowned at him as he tried to sit up, but she placed a hand on his shoulder, gently easing him back down.  
"Stay down, Higgs. I am going to help you. Again." She tried to play it off as a joke, but her fear has come true, she's falling for Higgs and now she has more to worry about than just keeping herself alive.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Higgs and Mara grow closer and confess how they feel towards each other

Defenseless  
Chapter 6

Mara wiped sweat off of Higgs brow once she got him in the bed, her face not hiding the worry as she looked at him. She had stripped him of his clothes, save his underwear, so she could clean him up properly. Only now as she noticed he has a few more tattoos than the one on his forehead.  
The eye of Horus was on his upper arm, close to his shoulder, along with several depictions of hieroglyphics that she couldn't read. She traces her fingers along the line work gently, before looking at his face again.  
"Higgs, are you still awake?" He hummed in response, not wanting to admit he was loving her soft touches on his arm.  
"I'm good sweetheart. I told ya I would be." He lied, he felt like absolute shit, he wasn't sure if it was from the stabbing or because he had to teleport to her, but either way, he just wanted to sleep.  
"Here, lucky you, I found some painkillers back at the warehouse." She stated, matter-of-factly, tucking her platinum hair behind her ears as she stood and moved to their packs to fetch the water and medicine. "It should help you sleep."  
"That sounds wonderful right now, I ain't gonna lie." She smiled at him as she knelt beside the bed again, reading the bottle to make sure she didn't give him too much, and he reached out to her and gripped her wrist and she looked at him, eyes wide, afraid he was about to throw up on her. "Thank ya kindly. And I don't even mean that sarcastically." She blushed, his face close to hers again, and she had a feeling where this was trying to head and it scared her. She's read in her books that in a moment like this the man would lean in for a kiss, but she can't base everything on her books, this is not a book, it's real life.  
Higgs began to lean more towards her, but she pushed his shoulder, laying him back flat on the bed.  
"You will pop your stitches." She tried to say flatly, but the hitch in her voice gave her away and Higgs groaned slightly in frustration, as she grabbed his hand and placed the pills in his palm, curling his fingers around them. "Take these, I will watch over you while you sleep."

After a little time passed, Higgs began to feel the effects of the medicine. Everything was getting a little hazy and blurry, as he watched Mara reading through his books.  
"These are interesting." She admitted to him, glancing over her shoulder at him to see if he was still awake. He nodded drowsily.  
"I've always enjoyed 'em." She picked up the current book she was looking through; The Egyptian Book of the Dead, and made her way back over to Higgs and sat on the edge of the bed.  
"Can you read hieroglyphics?" She asked absentmindedly as she continued to read, her eyes skimming through it quickly.  
"Some." He shrugged, feeling sleep beginning to pull him under, but he was fighting it because he wanted to continue talking to her.  
"What is your tattoo?" She finally looked at him, her green eyes looking even more striking in his medicated haze.  
"Strength." He answered simply, and she nodded quickly, before going back to her reading. They sat like that for a few beats, her softly humming to herself as she read, causing Higgs to chuckle and open his eyes again. "Thought ya said you didn't care for music?" A pink blush dusted her cheeks and she looked at him out of the corner of her eyes.  
"I do not care for music. It reminds me of my little sister. I used to sing her to sleep after our brother beat us." Higgs suddenly felt bad for bringing it up, and his hand found her arm and he massaged it gently. He felt her tense under his touch, but she quickly relaxed, and looked at him fully.  
"Sorry, Mara, I didn't know about all that." She pursed her lips at him, knowing she shouldn't be annoyed by him asking because he's right, he didn't know that fact, and she placed her hand on his own, they stared at each other for a while before he felt the word vomit coming and he couldn't stop it. "I love ya, Mara." They both froze, the words hanging heavy in the air, and Mara felt the air being sucked from her lungs.  
"Higgs…" She breathed out, not sure how to respond to this confession. Was it real? Or just drug induced?  
"I do...I think I always kinda have...I was just...afraid to admit it." His southern drawl was getting thicker by the minute as the painkillers took hold and she gave him a tight smile, still unsure if this was all real, but somewhere deep inside she knew part of it, at least, must be true because the pills would have lowered his inhibitions.  
"Higgs...I am scared too. I have-" She looked at him to see he had passed out and she sighed, slightly relieved the conversation was over at the moment. She removed his hand from her arm and and stood, placing the book aside and she covered Higgs up more. He looked so peaceful as he slept, and she couldn't help but wonder if everyone looked so calm while sleeping.   
She was fighting an internal war with herself to kiss him somehow. She felt he needed it, finally she leaned down and placed a gentle singular kiss on his forehead. Her lips lingered on his skin for a moment, she used to do this for her sister too, but this felt vastly different. She sighed, straightening back up, grabbing the book and went back to his desk to sit and read.

After several hours, Higgs groaned deeply in his chest, his body moving as if he wanted to roll over but the pain stopped him, his eyes cracked open to see Mara's face close to his.  
"Are you ok? Do you need anything?" He jerked back slightly, startled by her closeness in his still half asleep state and he grunted. "Stupid, do not move so quickly." She stated, pulling the covers back to check the stitches, and sighed when she saw they were still intact.   
"Sorry, darlin', I wasn't expecting ya to be in my space." Mara straightened, clasping her hands behind her back.  
"Sorry, you were calling for me in your sleep." He looked at her, eyes wide in embarrassment, and she gave him a playful smirk.  
"I was?" She nodded and she squatted down beside the bed, cupping her knees.   
"Yes." Her playful smirk was still in place, and he blushed a deep shade of red, scoffing and waving his hand trying to play it off as nothing.  
"Probably just needin' food or some shit." She laughed her breathy ghost like laugh that caused a shiver to run through his body.  
"I do not think so. You did admit to loving me earlier." Mara was enjoying having him on the defense like this, it's rare for Higgs to be so lost for words. She then cradled her chin in her hand, she was in a good mood after having thought about how he felt for her.  
"I did?" Another playful nod for the smaller woman, and Higgs chewed his lower lip, confused. "What did ya say back?" She shook her head, she technically hadn't said anything back to him because he passed out.  
"You passed out right after." He face fell, disappointed that she hadn't had a reaction to his confession. "Stay right here. I will make you some food, you need to eat." She stood again, going to the food stash she had sorted while he was asleep.  
"Wait…aren't ya gonna tell me how ya feel?" She smiled to herself, as she started preparing food for him.  
"You must eat first. Got to build your strength up." She teased him, bringing a can and spoon to him, sitting next to him on the bed, smiling.  
"Ya gonna feed me too?" She shrugged, pulling out a spoonful of canned meat.  
"You cannot sit up, so I have to help you." He sighed, not fighting hard because he was starving after his ordeal. "I do not know how to love, Higgs." She admitted to him after a few bites. "I have never felt it. Or received it." Her voice was quieter than usual, as she dug around in the can, she finally looked over to him and he held a soft smile.  
"That's ok, darlin', not like I have a lot of experience either. It can be a lesson for us both." they smiled at each other, before she continued to feed him.

~

Several days passed during Higgs's recovery, he was slowly being able to sit up more, even get up and go to the bathroom himself, Mara had gone through nearly all his books and even tidied up his bunker.  
"How did you live this way?" She asked him in a teasing manner as she cleaned up the clutter everywhere. "I am surprised that you did not trip over all this shit and kill yourself." Higgs responded with sardonic laughter, moving over to help her and she made a chastising noise at him. "Rest." She had hissed at him, pointing back towards the bed and he raised his hands in a placating manner.  
"Alright honey, I was just tryin' to help." Mara rolled her eyes, stacking the books in a neat pile on his desk.   
"Help yourself by resting and healing." He smiled at her, and she gave him a quizzical look, stepping towards her and she all but hissed again, pointing at the bed again.   
"Why don't'cha make me, sweetheart." Higgs was feeling a lot better today, hardly any pain and he was feeling playful and he could tell on Mara's face she was about to play along, at least, he hoped that was the look. She growled at him, stepping towards him, getting in an offensive stance.  
"I will, Higgs. And you know I will." He scoffed at her, making an indifferent motion with his arms that caused anger to begin to rise in her. "You do not think I can take you?" She was about to pounce when she remembered his stitches and she growled lowly. "You are hurt. Just get in the bed. Please?" She grabbed him by the elbow, trying to pull him towards the bed, and he chuckled as he watched her struggle.  
"Darlin', ya can't pull me over there." Mara sighed heavily, hanging her head, mumbling to herself, before she turned quickly, lifting him up fireman style and carrying him to the bed. "Holy shit!" He exclaimed loudly at the upheaval, looking around, completely shocked that she could lift him so easily. She dumped him gently on the bed, grunting loudly, Higgs may have thought she had done it easily, but it had not been.  
"You are heavy." She complained, rotating her shoulder, but she grinned at him. "You used to be a porter. I have lived alone for years, I learned how to do the same things as you, after all." Higgs sat up on his elbows and laughed at her, but the humor was cut short when Sam's voice filtered through the walls.  
"Mara! You still here?" Mara looked over her shoulder towards the front of the bunker, before looking back at Higgs.   
"You stay here." She commanded him pointing at him for emphasis and he saluted her sarcastically.  
"Yes, ma'am." She rolled her eyes and walked towards the door to meet Sam.

"Yes Sam?" Mara asked, blocking the door with her body. Sam looked at her, shying back like he normally does and Mara made note that Louise was not with him this time. That might not be a good thing.  
"He still here too?" Mara folded her arms over her chest, nodding, her eyes narrowed almost territorially at Sam.  
"Yes, he is. Why?" Sam looked her over as if she'd lost her mind, and he pointed in Higgs's general direction.  
"You mean other than the fact that he tried to kill you, me and did what he did to Fragile. And let's not forget the fact that he's a terrorist." It was not often Mara has seen Sam upset, but it still would not cause her to back down. She stepped closer to him, knowing it would put him on a slight retreat.  
"Was. He was a terrorist." She pointed out, a snarl in her soft voice. Sam shook his head dubiously, giving her a cautious look.  
"You're really just gonna forgive him for everything he's done?" Higgs was sitting up in his bed now, listening to them arguing over him, hanging his head. He deserved Sam's doubt, he wasn't going to lie to himself, but something in him softened at the thought of Mara standing up for him against one of her oldest friends.  
"Higgs was not a bad person before Amelie." Mara hissed angrily. "She brainwashed him. You know that. You told me that." Her graveyard whisper of a voice sounded haunting when she was angry.  
"I guess I just don't understand how you of all people can be so easy to forgive." Sam's choice of words stung, and he knew it as soon as the words left his mouth and he was about to apologize when she held up her hand to stop him.  
"Me of all people? Sam…" She looked lost for words, her eyes stinging with the threat of tears. "I love him, and I am going to protect him with all I have. You have a problem with that, I am sorry." She hadn't even realized the words left her, but Higgs nor Sam had missed them. Sam's face was surprised as Mara kept babbling, but she finally stopped and looked at him strangely. "What?"  
"You said you love him." Mara blinked in surprise several times before shaking her head.  
"What, no, I did not." Sam was still in disbelief, knowing he would never get through to her now.  
"You did, Mara." She was frozen to her spot, mouth agape, still blinking, replaying the conversation in her mind. She had said it. And she had meant it. "I'll still be here for you, Mara." Sam assured her gruffly, and her eyes focused back in on him. "You know, just in case you need anything." Mara reached out to stop Sam in his retreat, but let him go instead, everyone was in their own states of shock at her confession.  
Mara turned, walking back to where she had left Higgs, who was giving her an almost boyish smile.  
"Ya love me, huh?" Mara blushed, sitting on the bed next to him, still stunned that the words had just tumbled out of her mouth without her given them permission. She looked at him, smiling weakly.  
"I guess I do." She laughed softly, and Higgs reached out with one hand, gently caressing her cheek, running his thumb over her bottom lip. Her eyes closed, she didn't realize just how much she wanted gentle touches, now she knows why Higgs leaned into hers before.   
Mara was shocked when she felt Higgs nose brushing against hers, her eyes opening to lock with his.  
"Easy." He whispered, his warm breath fanning over her lips, he knew if he moved too quickly she'd run like prey. His lips barely brushed hers at first, and the feeling sent a jolt of electricity throughout her entire body. She wasn't sure what to do, and Higgs sensed that, so he took the lead, pressing his lips to hers more. Moving and coaxing hers to follow his, tilting his head to deepen the kiss.   
Her kiss was awkward and stiff at first, but soon relaxed and she melted into the gesture. She felt lightheaded and breathless, and after several minutes she pulled back, heaving in oxygen. Higgs chased her for more, but stopped himself, laying his forehead on hers, both trying to calm their breathing.  
Now that this line was crossed, Mara felt anxious about what the future would hold for them both. But she knew without a doubt, she would die protecting him if she had too.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Higgs and Mara connect more and finally have sex. 
> 
> (Triggers, unprotected sex, hand job, fingering)

Defenseless   
Chapter 7

A few weeks passed, Sam never came back to confront Mara again, and in the back of her mind, she was worried that she's severed whatever friendship she had with him.  
Higgs kept her occupied a lot with his lips, now that the wall had been broken, it was like he couldn't get enough, and she's slowly learning what he enjoys. A nibble followed by a tug always caused him to make this low whining moan that resulted in a shiver to running through her body.  
She had read many books over the years she was alone, many she found when she raised different places, and one of the books she read had a quote that had always stuck with her.  
"One day you will kiss a man you can't breathe without and find that breath is of little consequence." Mara had never really understood what it meant all those years ago when she first read it, but now that she has kissed Higgs, it all makes sense to her.  
She is still cautious most days, still shying away from him but wanting nothing more than wrap herself up in him. She has wanted this for so long but she doesn't know how to process her feelings. She could tell by how Higgs reacted to even her slightest touch that he is having the same problems, maybe not all the scale she is, but they are both learning how to properly react to each other.   
They had finally been able to make it back to her place with all of Higgs's belongings he had wanted, and she helped him set up the solar panels that had gotten them into trouble in the first place.  
"These better be worth it." Mara grumbled, as she wiped her forehead, giving him a nasty look which cause him to chuckle.   
"Trust in me, sweetheart. I know what I'm doin'." And she was not happy to admit she had missed having electricity. However she was not prepared for Higgs's music list.   
He was teaching her house to use his computer when she stumbled across it. There was a diversity of music, but one song in particular stood out to her. 'Mountain Lullaby' by Jealous of the Birds.   
Mara's breathing hitched in her chest as she clicked play, eyes instantly swimming with tears, which caused Higgs lift his chin from her shoulder where he had been resting it, to look at her better. This was the song she always had sung to Julia.  
Mara sang along in her soft voice, tears falling like rain, hugging onto herself, drowning in the memories of her poor sister, who barely got to live, barely got to taste what life had to offer. It's why Mara fought so hard to survive, she had to live for Julia who hadn't got the chance. Higgs moved his hand to the mouse and clicked pause, and just listened to Mara's soft cries, barely audible with her damaged larynx.  
He wasn't sure what to say to help with whatever memory she was dealing with.   
"I used to sing it to Julia." Higgs knew she had a little sister, but she never told him what had happened to her. Mara only ever told him she had to kill her brother. "Trevor killed Julia. Strangled her, I guess because I was not home for him to kill for fun. Julia did not have DOOMs, she could not repatriate...she could not come back. She was only 9." Higgs studied her profile as she stared at the computer screen, and he minimized the screen to break her form this trance.  
"Darlin', I'm sorry your brother was such a dick to the both of ya." She shrugged a shoulder, almost coldly, scoffing softly.  
"It does not matter anymore. He is dead." Her voice was eerily calm and almost dissociated and Higgs frowned at her. He knew this could be a normal response to her trauma, her "backing out" of the whole situation, but he also knew that wasn't healthy.  
Like he had any reason to think the way someone else is handling their trauma was not healthy after everything he'd done in the recent past.  
Higgs touched under her chin with his finger tips, and she jumped at the touch, the chair sliding away from him and she looked at him as if she hadn't forgotten he was even there, hands brought up, balled into fists, ready to defend herself.  
"Easy, easy, my little wildfire. It's just me, you're safe." He could see she was still back in her memories, as if she was seeing Trevor in front of her and not Higgs. Her eyes darted around the room, trying to find things to ground her to the present.  
"Higgs…" She finally breathed out, her entire body relaxing and she placed her head in her hands, and he moved to her, squatting before her, gently touching her knees.  
"He's gone, he's never going to her you again. Even if he wasn't dead, if he ever come near ya, I'd fuckin' kill him myself." His words were quiet and laced with promises. "If anyone tries to hurt ya, I'll kill them." Mara removed her hands to look him in his eyes, and they held the same threatening promises his words conveyed. His hands came up and cupped her face, his thumb rubbing gently across her scar, and she shivered under his touch, not out of fear, but a whole new feeling.  
Higgs straightened back up, his hands still on her face, and she stood with him, her head tilted back so she could still keep eye contact with him. Higgs felt it too, the sensation coursing through his whole being, and he didn't hesitate in leaning down to kiss her.  
Her hands grasped his wrists gingerly, this new feeling burning through her nerves felt different than the other times they've kissed. She wanted more, needed more, and soft moan sounding in her throat, her grip on him tightening.  
Higgs tilted his head, lightly running his tongue along her lips. She wasn't sure what he wanted, but she cautiously parted her lips for him, and his tongue slowly entered her mouth. She made a surprised noise, eyes flying open, having never done it before, but feeling his tongue massaging against hers, she quickly relaxed into it, moving her own tongue with his.  
Her eyes slowly closed again, welcoming this new development, as Higgs began to slowly walk her backwards towards the bed. Her legs bumped against the edge, pulling although startled noise from her, before she lost her balance and fell back onto the bed.   
Mara looked up at Higgs in shock before they both laughed, and she sat up, pulling at the hem of his shirt, her instincts taking over. Higgs quickly obliged, lifting his shirt over his head and tossing it across the room as she worked at the button of his pants.   
He bent at his waist slightly, pulling at her own tank top, she raised her arms obediently so he could remove it, and it joined his across the room. He openly stared at her chest this time, since this time it was with permission, and not just confusion in her part. He cupped her breasts gently and she breathed in quickly, having never had someone touch her there. Higgs almost seemed lost himself as he massaged her breasts, and she leaned back on her hands, giving him more access to her.  
Higgs dipped down and kissed along the curve of her breast, his left hand still gently fondling her other, his mouth curiously enveloped her already pert nipple and Mara's head lolled back limply, her back arching, thrusting her chest to him more.  
He circled his tongue around the sensitive bud and he was rewarded with a shuddering breath, he then kissed up the valley between her breasts, running his tongue up her throat before capturing her lips for another heated kiss. He could feel her body trembling against him as he begot laid her back and he laid on to off her. Mara felt his hard cock as he pressed himself into her more. She gasped upon feeling it, and she began to squirm beneath him. He pulled back and looked at her.   
"Are you ok with this, Mara? We can stop if you're not ready." Higgs voice was husky with arousal, as he absently rutted himself against her, she was panting heavily, and her eyes glazed as he gave her friction she wasn't aware she needed.   
"I am ready, Higgs. Please." She almost begged, wrapping her arms around his neck, leaning up for another kiss, but he chuckled, and she gave him a strange look.  
"We're still wearing too many clothes, honey." Mara blushed, giggling softly, releasing him, and he stood back up. Higgs tied off his boots while unzipping his pants and pulled them down, kicking them aside. Mara sat up, extremely curious what Higgs is going to look like completely naked, and she hooked her fingers in the waistband of his boxers, pulling then down slowly, his erection bobbing free of the clothing.   
Higgs stepped out of them next, cautiously watching her as her green eyed roamed his body, looking for any sign of rejection from her, which would kill him. However, he saw nothing but adoration as her hand reached out and trailed her fingers along Higgs's shaft. Examining his cock slowly, his eyes fluttered shut, a low groan rumbling in his throat.   
Mara gently enclosed her hand around his shaft, his own gripping hers, showing her how to stroke him just the way he likes, and he moaned at the feeling.   
Her own arousal growing, a throbbing feeling between her legs, as she moved her hand over his velvety warm skin. Once he felt she had the hang of it, he removed his hand, and let the sensation overtake him. His hips bucked, thrusting his organ into her hand more, moaning her name this time, causing a full body shiver to flow over her.   
"Mara…" He breathed out, touching her hand again and she froze, he was breathing heavily, and he smirked down at her. "It's your turn now." Mara blushed, as he gently pushed her back into the bed, undergoing her jeans, and she lifted her ass enough for him to slide her pants and underwear off. She felt overly exposed, and she drew her legs up to help cover herself. He smiled patiently at her as he pulled her legs back down, gingerly spreading them for him.  
Mara blushed more, covering her face with her hands, as she felt his fingers probing her slick folds. His finger found her swollen clit, giving it a few slow circling rubs and she gasped breathlessly, removing her hands slowly to see a playful smirk on his lips.   
"Feels good, don't it, darlin'?" His voice was low as he watched her coming unraveled at his ministrations, his name filling the air as he gently eased into her, pumping in and out slowly, curling his finger, before adding another.   
Mara's back arched again and Higgs felt her walls fluttering around his fingers, and he pulled his fingers out, Mara crying out at the sudden stop, falling back onto the bed in a needy heap; her quick panting the only noise in the room.  
He kissed a trail up her stomach, his tongue tracing along her many scars, before finally reaching her mouth again, where he gave her several soft kisses.  
He reached didn between them, his heart racing from nervousness, as he lined himself up at her entrance.   
"Now, you're still on with this, right?" He questioned again, her own heart pounding in her chest from her own anxiousness, but she liked him in his eyes, cupping his face softly.   
"I am ready Higgs, I promise." She reassured him, leaning up to kiss him as he slowly entered into her.   
He took his time, so he wouldn't hurt her, but once he was fully seated, they both let out a blissful moan into each other's mouth.   
Higgs pulled back, looking deeply into her eyes, in utter awe that someone like her wanted to be this close to him. After all these years, he's finally proved his daddy wrong.   
Mara's thumbs caressed his cheeks as she adjusted to his girth, and after a few beats, she moved against him, letting him know she was ready to continue.   
The pace he set was slow and tender, sharing several sloppy kisses, her hips rolling to meet his, euphoric that she finally knows what love feels like.   
Soft moans, shuddering breaths, hands roaming and caressing each others bodies, nips, bites and gasps. Breathless confessions of love and devotion.   
The pace of Higgs's thrusting only picking up as he got closer to his release, Mara's moaning in his ear sent shivers down his spine, causing him to grunt and trust even faster. Mara's own coil winding in her stomach as she was teetering on the edge.   
One final hard thrust into her, pushed her over that ledge, her back arched high, her legs wrapping around his waist, walls milking him, as she whined out his name as loudly as her throat would allow. He growled at her release, quickly following her, feeling her with his warmth.   
They both collapsed on the bed, huffing loudly, hearts pounding hard in their chests, hair plastered to their foreheads, Higgs buried his face in her neck, giving gentle kisses to the soft flesh there.   
They were not perfect, their love may not even be perfect, but they both knew that together, they could learn to be perfectly imperfect for each other, for the rest of their lives.


End file.
